Aaj jab maine aine mein apna chehra dekha toh mujhe kuch Gadhay ki shakal dhundhli dhundhli si nazar aayi. Maine kayi baar aankhein jhapki lekin woh naqsha gahdhay ka hi raha. Mujhe apna aks dekh ke bari sharmindgi hoyi. Baad mein maine baaqi logo ko apni apni shaklein aine mein dekhte hoye dekha lekin woh bilkul apni hi shakal ka aks dekh rahe the. Mujhe samajh nahi aa raha tha ke yeh kia ho raha hai mere saath?
Khala ne kaha ke dukaan se zara podeena laa do. Main thehlta howa chala gaya. Ghar pohanch ke Khala ko podeena pakraa ke murra hi tha ke ik aisi zor ki awaz aayi ke do second ke liye mere kaan seeee'n kar gaye. Kuch hosh mein aane ke baad ehsaas howa, ke us awaz mein kaheen lafz 'nalaeq' kaha gaya tha. Shukar ho in aankhon ka, Khala ki taraf dekha toh unke chehre se pata chala ke yeh awaz darasal Khala hi ki thi. Lekin unke chehre ke taasuraat kuch ache nahi maaloom ho rahe the.
"Podeena kaha tha, Podeena!"
"Wohi toh laaya hoon..." Maine thori himmat kar ke awaz nikaali
"KIA?" ...Lekin pata chala ke awaz kaafi dheeme thi.
Toh maine thori zyada himmat kar ke ooncha dhoraaya.
"Yeh podeena hai? Dimaagh ke saath aankhein bhi nakaara hogayi hain kia?"
Unho ne podeene ki gaddi utha ke kaha," Dhanya kehte hain isse!"
Homework karne betha. Chemistry ki kitaab kholi. Phir jo main peroxide ko soonghta, H2SO4 se jalta, H2O se dhota jab nikla, toh mera sulphate ban chuka tha. Mujhe kuch samajh nahi aa raha tha ke kisko kis mein daaloge toh dawai banegi aur kis mein toh bumb. Kaafi deir socha ke diya howa sawal kaise hal hoga.
Maine aankhein band ki aur ghor karna shuru kiya. Ik bara sa maidaan nazar aaya. Chaaro taraf gehri dhund. Saamne se ik nukta bohat tezi se bara hota dikhai diya. Us nukte ne baray hote hote ik gadhay ki shakal le li. Woh gadha meri taraf bhaag raha tha. Woh aa ke mere saamne ruk gaya. Aur mujhe dekh ke zor se kehkahe lagane laga. Us gadhay mein mujhe apne jaanne wale kaafi logon ki shabi nazar aa rahi thi. Us ke kehkaho ki goonj barhti gayi yahan tak ke mere kaano mein dard hone laga.
Maine aakhein kholi toh dunya normal thi. Homework mein jo jidher jurta howa samajh aaya usko udher jor ke kitaab band kar di.
Agla din aaya. Chemistry ka period. Class mein sab se peeche main khara hoon. Tamaam larke apni bench pe bethe mur ke mujhe dekh rahe hain. Teacher tezi se chalte hoye mere ik dam saamne aa ke kharay hogaye. Maine gardan utha ke ik falak bos emarat ki manind apne teacher ko dekha, toh woh kuch keh rahe the.
Mujhe udher se unke baat karte hoye nathne phoolte sukarte nazar aate. Mooch ka ik ik baal elehda nazar aa raha tha. Aisa lagta tha jaise koi jungli jhaar chipkaya howa ho. Mujhe unke lehje ki wajah se unki baatein zyada samajh toh nahi aati theen lekin tawatar se larko ke hasne ki awaz se pata yeh chal raha tha ke mera mazaak ura rahe hain. Phir ik thook ki boondh meri palak pe aa ke chipki. Maine usse poch ke unki taraf dekha.
"O Miyaan! Yeh dimaagh istemaal kar liya karo. Paray paray phaphoond lag rahi hai."
Ispe ik aur kehkaha laga aur unki comedy performance khatam hoyi.
Main phir apne aks ke baaray mein sochne laga.
Aks toh hamein hamara asl dikhata hai na?
Mujhe apni shakal kyun nahi dikh rahi thi?
Maine ghar jaa ke phir aina dekha toh pehle jo dhundli tasweer thi, ab saaf ho gayi thi.
Mujhe ab gadhay ki shakal ik dam saaf nazar aa rahi thi.
Maine gadhay ki aankho mein jhaanka toh mujhe apne wujood ka ehsaas howa.
Us lamhe mujhe is sab ka matlab samajh aa gaya.